Journal
BUILDING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION
Volume 39, Issue 6, Pages 616-636Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/09613218.2011.628558
Keywords
ego-networks; entrepreneurial activity; resource provision networks; small construction firm; social network analysis
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The prominence of small professional service providers in a fragmented construction sector in part relates to the ability to provide competitive advantage through the provision of a personalized service in a context where diseconomies of scale prevail. The Greek construction industry is particularly representative of this trend towards the dominance of small businesses. The small business owner relies upon their ability to secure critical resources through personal networks which provide information, advice, funding and brokerage. Resource provision ego-networks are investigated structurally using social network analysis. A multiple case study approach is employed with comparative social network analysis, focusing on the density of ego-networks and the prominence of resource providers and associated subgroups. Findings show that commercial development activity is promoted through high-density networks, which infers that higher levels of connectivity characterize networks operating in environments of uncertainty. As these critical resource networks mature, they appear to rely less on strong ties and temporary formal project networks. Contractual relationships appear to co-exist with reciprocal flows of resources outside the contract's scope.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available